SS United States Begins Final Voyage Toward Reef

The 990-foot SS United States is scheduled to leave Mobile, Alabama, on November 9 and be intentionally sunk November 12 about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin, Florida, to create what officials describe as the world’s largest artificial reef. The ship set a still-standing transatlantic speed record on its 1952 maiden voyage, but was retired in 1969 as air travel displaced ocean liners. After more than a year of preparation in Mobile, crews have emptied and cleaned its fuel and lubricant tanks, remediated its decks, and removed hundreds of artifacts for preservation; some features have also been salvaged for a planned land-based museum. The project faces opposition from the SS United States Preservation Foundation, which warns that contamination could harm Gulf waters and seafood, but a federal judge denied its initial emergency bid to halt the plan, and county officials say the schedule remains on track despite further legal efforts. Officials expect the reef to draw divers and boost tourism, with exploration potentially beginning soon after the sinking if plans proceed as scheduled.